As the 2024 New York City Marathon approaches this coming Sunday, November 3, spirits are high, and motivation is at its peak.
For runners everywhere, it’s a thrilling reminder of one of the world’s most iconic and record-breaking biggest races, hosting over 50,000 runners.
Maybe you’ve watched from the sidelines, cheered on friends, or followed along with race updates — and now, you might be wondering how you can be a part of the New York City Marathon in the future.
The good news? There are multiple ways to get into this legendary race.
In this guide, we’ll cover securing your spot, from lottery entry and time qualifications to charity bibs and guaranteed entry options. Whether you’re a first-time marathoner or a veteran, we’ll cover the essentials to get you one step closer to the start line in 2025.
NYRR 9+1 Program
One of the most popular ways to earn entry into the NYC Marathon is through the New York Road Runners (NYRR) 9+1 program.
NYRR members who completed nine qualifying NYRR races and volunteered at one eligible event in 2024 will earn guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. To qualify, NYRR memberships must have been active by December 31, 2024.
Let’s get into the details:
Three parts of the 9+1 program must be completed the year before the NYC Marathon you want to compete in. For example, to earn entry to the 2026 NYC Marathon through the 9+1 program, the requirements must be met by December 31, 2025.
#1: Complete 9 Qualifying Races:
The first part of completing the 9+1 program for guaranteed entry is registering for and completing nine qualifying races. The events that count towards the 9+1 program are on the NYRR website race calendar.
Unlike many other races, there is no required time for these qualifying events.
#2: Volunteer At An Event
The second part of completing the 9+1 program is volunteering at one NYRR event. The eligible events are also listed on the website.
#3: Become A NYRR Member
Finally, you must have an active NYRR membership by the end of the qualifying year. You can renew or sign up for a membership here.
Since most of the 2024 qualifying races for the 2025 NYC Marathon have already taken place, it is best to start planning your 2025 calendar now to get entry into the 2026 edition.
Test Your Luck In The Lottery
The New York City Marathon drawing is another common entry method, especially for those who did not complete the 9+1 program. It can also be the easiest way to gain entry into the NYC Marathon, but only if you have luck on your side.
For the 2024 NYC Marathon, over 165,000 runners entered the lottery, and only about 4% were accepted into the race.
The lottery is divided into three categories:
- People living in or within 60 miles of New York City
- U.S. residents outside the New York City area
- Non-U.S. residents
The goal of the lottery, as stated by NYRR, is to preserve the diversity of the race.
The window to enter the lottery opens every February, and the lucky winners are selected in March. The exact dates are yet to be announced.
NYRR Member-Only Second-Chance Drawing
Here is another benefit for NYRR members!
Current members who apply for the general entry drawing and meet the eligibility criteria will be automatically entered into a Member-Only Second-Chance Drawing if not selected in the first drawing.
To qualify, your membership must be active before the drawing application opens and remain active through the drawing day.
The Second-Chance Drawing will occur on the same day as the general drawing, with selected members notified via email by the end of the following day.
NYRR Team For Kids
There are a few charity options to gain entry to the NYC Marathon. The first is through the NYRR Team for Kids, promoting the health and fitness of kids and communities.
Alongside guaranteed entry into the race, those who run with Team for Kids can also take advantage of VIP race day perks, access to coaches, an online training app, and a race singlet.
Registration will open on November 3, 2024 for the 2025 NYC Marathon.
Run With A Charity
Each year, on the day of the TCS New York City Marathon Drawing, NYRR announces an official list of official charity partners with nonprofits offering charity bibs for the race.
Not only will runners add special meaning to their miles by taking this route, but guarentee an entry into the race for participating.
Like Team for Kids, runners who choose this method must raise funds. The amount varies depending on the charity, but the minimum can range from $3,000 to $5,000.
The list of charities for the 2025 race has not yet been announced, but stay tuned. The list will be pubished here on the day of the drawing.
Book a Tour
Booking a tour of the New York City Marathon is a great option for runners outside of the U.S. Approved tour operators, which can be found on the race’s website, offer marathon travel packages.
These packages include guareenteed race entry, airfare, accomodations, and sometimes other perks like transportation, city tours, and race-day support.
Working with an official tour provider can simplify logistics and ensure entry, making the process smoother for international runners who may otherwise face limited options for securing a race spot.
Take a look at the different options on the official marathon website.
Marathon Time Qualifiers
Although the New York City Marathon does not require a qualifying time to participate like other races, such as the Boston Marathon, a certain number of entries are given to individuals who run a qualifying time at NYRR events and non-NYRR events.
Qualifying times must be run in the year prior to the year you wish to run the NYC Marathon. For example, you must run a qualifying time between January 1 and December 31, 2024 to qualify for 2025.
NYRR gives a guaranteed entry to any athlete who meets the time qualifying standards at an in-person NYRR marathon or half marathon within the qualifying window. It will appear on the NYRR dashboard when you log in to apply.
For non-NYRR events, the result must be verifiable online and only full marathon times are considered, not half-marathon times.
All times are based on chip time (and not gun time).
There are a limited number of entries available through non-NYRR event qualifying times. If they receive more applications than the allocated bibs, they will select the fastest entrants in each age and gender group.
The required times are adjusted yearly and vary by age group.
Here are the current standards:
Men’s Standards
| Age | Marathon | Half Marathon |
| 18-34 | 2:53:00 | 1:21:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 1:23:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:58:00 | 1:25:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:05:00 | 1:28:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:14:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:23:00 | 1:36:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 1:41:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:45:00 | 1:46:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:10:00 | 1:57:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 2:07:00 |
| 80+ | 4:55:00 | 2:15:00 |
Women’s Standards
| Age | Marathon | Half Marathon |
| 18-34 | 3:13:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:15:00 | 1:34:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:26:00 | 1:37:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:38:00 | 1:42:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:51:00 | 1:49:00 |
| 55-59 | 4:10:00 | 1:54:00 |
| 60-64 | 4:27:00 | 2:02:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:50:00 | 2:12:00 |
| 70-74 | 5:30:00 | 2:27:00 |
| 75-79 | 6:00:00 | 2:40:00 |
| 80+ | 6:35:00 | 2:50:00 |
Non-Binary Standards
| Age | Marathon | Half Marathon |
| 18-34 | 3:13:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:15:00 | 1:34:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:26:00 | 1:37:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:38:00 | 1:42:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:51:00 | 1:49:00 |
| 55-59 | 4:10:00 | 1:54:00 |
| 60-64 | 4:27:00 | 2:02:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:50:00 | 2:12:00 |
| 70-74 | 5:30:00 | 2:27:00 |
| 75-79 | 6:00:00 | 2:40:00 |
| 80+ | 6:35:00 | 2:50:00 |
Be A New York City Marathon Veteran
Runners who are New York City Marathon veterans and have completed the race 15 times become eligible for guaranteed entry into future editions.
The entry fee for the New York City Marathon is $315.00 for non-members and $255.00 for NYRR memeber.
Although some of the options listed above are no longer available for the 2025 New York City Marathon, there are still plenty of chances to get your entry spot into the race next year. If not, you can now start preparing your calendar for the 2026 edition!
If you are looking to start your training, check out our marathon training plans for all levels:
